Baltimore City Council Contemplates PLA Mandate

A bill introduced in the Baltimore City Council by Councilmember Shannon Sneed and Council President Brandon Scott would make sweeping changes to the City of Baltimore’s procurement laws. The proposed ordinance, File 20-0488, would impose government mandated project labor agreements on any construction contract valued at $25 million or more. The same mandate would also apply on any long-term capital improvement plan that involves construction projects at multiple locations if the total value of the project is valued at more than $15 million.

This is not the first instance where the Baltimore City Council has debated a PLA mandate on publicly financed construction projects in the city. In 2010, the Council proposed a similar ordinance that would have required PLAs on projects valued at $5 million or more. That legislation never made it into law after widespread pushback, including opposition from the Baltimore City Solicitor and minority contractors that spoke out against the discriminatory nature of PLA mandates.

If passed and signed, the law would go into effect 30 days after enactment.